The award carrying a cash prize of Rs 1,00,000 and a citation is given every year to individuals in recognition of their contributions to the fields of dance, music, cinema, and theatre.
Bhubaneswar: Eminent film director and cinematographer Raj Gopal Mishra, popularly known as Raju Mishra, will be presented with prestigious Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra (GKM) Award for the year 2020 for his lifetime contributions to the Odia cinema.
Srjan, a premier training institution in Odissi dance will organise the award festival from September 5 to 9 on digital platform in compliance with the Covid guidelines laid down by the government. The event, to be inaugurated by eminent actress Hema Malini, will be premiered on Facebook Live and YouTube.
Several other luminaries from the art world and other fields will also join the virtual programme.
The award, which carries a cash prize of Rs 1,00,000 and a citation, aims to recognise the outstanding contributions of individuals in the fields of dance, music, cinema, and theatre. Srjan will also present Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Yuva Pratibha Samman, which carries a cash prize of Rs. 25,000/‐ and a citation, to an exceptionally talented performing artiste under the age of 40 years.
For 2020, the award will be presented to two performers – Pravat Kumar Swain for Odissi dance and Himansu Sekhar Swain for Odissi music- acknowledging their contribution to the art forms.
The festival, this year, has been dedicated to late Sangeet Martand Pandit Jasraj, who passed away recently and had close association with Guruji for many decades.
Eminent dance exponents of the likes of Madhusmita Mohanty(Odissi), Praveen Kumar(Bharatnatyam), Gauri Diwakar(Kathak) Purvadhanashree (Vilasini Natyam) have given their consent to perform in the event, said the organisers.
Among others, Hindustani musician Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Mardala Guru Dhaneswar Swain and acclaimed Carnatic vocalist Abhishek Raghuram will also perform during the five-day event.
Odia daily Dharitri and the only home-grown English daily Orissa POST are the media partners for the event.